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Asset Retirement Obligations | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2013
Asset Retirement Obligation [Abstract] |
Asset retirement obligations | Asset Retirement Obligations The Company records obligations related to the plugging and abandonment of oil and natural gas wells, decommissioning of certain electric generating facilities, reclamation of certain aggregate properties, special handling and disposal of hazardous materials at certain electric generating facilities, natural gas distribution facilities and buildings, and certain other obligations. A reconciliation of the Company's liability, which is included in other accrued liabilities and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, for the years ended December 31 was as follows:
| 2013 |  | 2012 |
| (In thousands)
Balance at beginning of year | $ | 102,545 |  | $ | 98,151 |
Liabilities incurred | 5,610 |  | 6,523 |
Liabilities acquired | — |  | — |
Liabilities settled | (22,257 | ) | (10,472 | )
Accretion expense | 4,574 |  | 4,266 |
Revisions in estimates | 7,671 |  | 3,655 |
Other | 386 |  | 422 |
Balance at end of year | $ | 98,529 |  | $ | 102,545 |
The Company believes that any expenses related to asset retirement obligations at the Company's regulated operations will be recovered in rates over time and, accordingly, defers such expenses as regulatory assets. The fair value of assets that are legally restricted for purposes of settling asset retirement obligations at December 31, 2013 and 2012, was $4.1 million and $5.0 million, respectively. The legally restricted assets consist primarily of money market funds and are reflected in other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for an asset retirement obligation and the associated long-lived asset. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement from service of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7569-110849 + Details
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